Veteran actress Ratna Pathak Shah is known for her controversial statements on social media and in interviews. Recently, she is being trolled by netizens over her ‘regressive’ remarks on SS Rajamouli’s RRR whose song, ‘Naatu–Naatu’ bagged the best original song awards at the Oscars.
RRR movie is based on the stories of two real-life revolutionaries Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem amidst the freedom struggle. It was released on March 25, 2022, in Telugu.
After the success of the movie Ratna during a book launch event called it ‘Regressive’. She said, “Films like RRR are so popular today. But it’s a regressive film. It looks backward while we should look forward. We just feel whatever we are doing is good because we are part of the mother of democracy — India.”
“Until filmmakers will not see their work critically, we will have to watch films like RRR. But we don’t like criticism. Our ego gets hurt, This atmosphere is created by so many big people and unfortunately, we have accepted it,” she added.
Ratna commented on a movie like RRR whose song ‘Naatu Naatu’ has made history by bringing home so many international awards. Here is a brief list of the awards won by the film so far The Academy Awards (Oscar), the Globes Awards, Critics Choice Awards, New York Film Critics Awards, the Los Angeles Film Critics Awards, the Utah Film Critics Association Awards and the Atlanta Film Critics Circle Awards.
These award juries must also be ‘regressive’ for intellectuals like Ratna who are bearing RRR just because the creators are not showing them anything else.
Here is what the netizens say about her remarks:
Author and speaker Shefali Vaidya wrote, “Oh yeah, but Taj, the web series glorifying Mughals with hubby Naseeruddin Shah playing the ageing, bigoted Akbar is totally futuristic and is the best example of ‘looking forward’!!
Oh yeah, but Taj, the web series glorifying Mughals with hubby Naseeruddin Shah playing the ageing, bigoted Akbar is totally futuristic and is the best example of ‘looking forward’!! pic.twitter.com/5YdwtgR3dT
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) March 13, 2023
A user wrote, “Oh yeah, but Taj, the web series glorifying Mughals with hubby Naseeruddin Shah playing the ageing, bigoted Akbar is totally futuristic and is the best example of ‘looking forward’!!
Oh yeah, but Taj, the web series glorifying Mughals with hubby Naseeruddin Shah playing the ageing, bigoted Akbar is totally futuristic and is the best example of ‘looking forward’!!
— #Vipul Shah🇮🇳 (@shah_vipadss) March 13, 2023
A user Karunakar Gupta wrote, “Yes, and even international critics and judges are of regressive mindset as well. They should come to Ratna Pathak and understand progressive approach first before evaluating any movie further. All of them have been influenced by the right wing ideology. Ye haraam hai.”
Yes, and even international critics and judges are of regressive mindset as well. They should come to Ratna Pathak and understand progressive approach first before evaluating any movie further.
All of them have been influenced by the right wing ideology. Ye haraam hai.
☺️🤣😂
— Karunakar Gupta (@KarunakarGupta) March 13, 2023
Another user wrote, “And Slumdog Millionaire was a gem, eh Ratna Pathak Shah?
At least RRR didn’t SHAME India, did it?”
And Slumdog Millionaire was a gem, eh Ratna Pathak Shah?
At least #RRR didn't SHAME India, did it? #CongratulationsIndia for the #Oscars !#NaatuNaatu is great fun! pic.twitter.com/dFZsj7LQXX— Swayam Tiwari (@SwayamTewari) March 13, 2023
Another user wrote, “Ratna Pathak Shah calls SS Rajamouli’s RRR, a ‘regressive’ film.
Some days back she said that India is becoming like ‘Saudi Arabia’, and that, it was ‘appalling’ that modern women are doing Karwa Chauth.
Ma’am, आप बस ये बता दो की इस देश में regressive क्या / कौन नहीं है?”
Ratna Pathak Shah calls SS Rajamouli's RRR, a 'regressive' film.
Some days back she said that India is becoming like ‘Saudi Arabia’, and that, it was ‘appalling’ that modern women are doing Karwa Chauth.
Ma'am, आप बस ये बता दो की इस देश में regressive क्या / कौन नहीं है?
— Knotty Commander (@knottycommander) December 20, 2022
This is not the first time Ratna made headlines for her remarks and comments. Earlier during massive protests against the controversial film Patahaan, she said, “People don’t have food on their plates but can be outraged about clothes someone else is wearing…I would say we live in very silly times if these are the things on top of your mind.”
Pathan witnessed protests all across the country as it targeted Bharat first with Deepika’s Saffron Bikini to outrage Hindu religious sentiments and then by showing an Indian Raw agent going rogue.
Earlier Ratna said, she finds it appalling as many educated women keep fast for their husbands on Karwa Chauth.
During an interview, Ratna Pathak Shah told Pinkvilla, “Our society is becoming extremely conservative. I feel that very strongly. We are becoming superstitious, we are being forced into accepting and making religion a very important part of one’s life,”
She added, “Suddenly everyone’s talking about, ‘Karva Chauth ka vrat nai kar rahe hai aap?’. Till today no one has asked me this, last year was the first time someone asked me about it. I said, ‘Pagal hun main?’ Isn’t it appalling that modern educated women do Karva Chauth, praying for the lives of husbands so that they can have some validity in life”.
She compared women keeping fast for their husbands with women living in Saudi Arabia saying, “What’s the scope of women in Saudi Arabia? Do we want to become like Saudi Arabia? And we will become because it’s very very convenient. Women provide a lot of unpaid labour within the home. If you have to pay for that labour, who will do it? Women are forced into that situation.”
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